Air mail-bag transfer



Sept. 5, 1933. BEESLEY- ET AL AIR MAIL BAG TRANSFER 5 l m H m N h $0 v m n e e. Hm X. 2 Z 5% QM M5 1 w M e H 6 w W n m F ATTORNEY Sept. 5, 1933. 1.. BEESLEY ET AL AIR MAIL BAG TRANSFER Filed June 17, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L/il/VPE/VCE 55554 0 AND 6/7642455 a. W/LL/A/VJ.

INVENTORS 772 fi w/ ATTORNEY livery and collection device which will enable the Patented Sept. 5, 1933 v PATENT OFFICE 1,925,171' AIR MAIL-BAG TRANSFER Lawrence Beesley and Charles C. litilliam's,

- Provo, Utah Application June 17, 1930. Serial No. 461,670

2 Claims. "(CL 258-4)v Our invention relates to air mail transportation and more particularly to that part of air mail dealing with the delivery and collection of mail bags to and from planes while in transit in the air. a

A further object is to provide an aerial depilot of the plane to let down a bag of mail and collect another bag while traveling at a high rate of speed without danger to the pilot or plane. V

A still further object is to provide an automatic release and an automatic engaging means for releasing a bag of mail and engaging another bag of mail on the same cable while the plane is in transit.

These objects we accomplish with the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar numerals and letters of reference indicate like'parts throughout the several views and as described in the specification forming a part of this application and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings in which we have shown the pest and most preferred manner of building our invention:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, parts sectioned.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the entire device.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the chute showing the incoming package and the outgoing package ready to the picked up by the cable.

Figure 4 is a rear side elevation of the cable engaging catch.

Figure 5 is a view of the front side elevation thereof. Y

Figure 6 is an edge view of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a view of the cableengaging catches.

In the drawings we have shown the chute as B and the cable for dropping the mail bags from the plane to the chute as C. r

The chute for catching the mail is formed of a stand D made with a base 1, having one end thereof raised into an inclined member 2 and with the top end of the inclined member cut away to form a right angled mail bag platform 3 on which the mail bags rest when waiting to be taken into the mail plane. Centrally through the member 2 on the top side thereof we provide a frusto-conical receptacle or chute which receptacle has a slot 5 cut through the top side thereof extending from end to end of the receptacle, with the lower ends oi the slot tapered or curved outwardly at 6. A netting i is mounted on suitable standards 8 and said net is tapered in from the'standards' 8, and from the bottom of the space between the standards on the base 1, to the semi-circular opening of the receptacle or chute 4 to direct any object which hits the net with driving force into the opening or large end 10 of the frusto-conical chute 4. Two directing wires 11 and 12 are secured one end of 'each to the standards 8 and with the other end secured to the curve 6 of the chute 4 and with the said wires stretched tight enough to be inside the inner face of the net 37. These wires are to engage with the cable C above the level of the mail bags to direct the bags and their component parts into the lower large opening of the chute 4. The base 1 of the chute is set on a turntable E so that the chute may be turned in any direction desired which in taking 01f mail and-dropping mail would usually be such that the small end of the chute is turned into the Wind.

The end or. the cable C is provided with 9. cylindrical plug F to which the mail bags are attached by an engaging catch member G. There are two catches G one for incoming mail bags and one for outgoing bags and as each are identical we will describe but one. The catch G is made of a semi-cylindrical body member 15 having one side out longitudinally into a slot 16 and with legs 17 and 18 formed on one side thereof by the slotting of the one side and with the back 19 formed solid extending down the same distance from the body as the legs 17 and 18. The. sides are cut away to form spaces 20 in which the engaging catches 21 and 22 are pivotally carried. The catches 21 and 22 are formed with dogs 23 on the top end thereof and with the lower ends curved outwardly and downwardly at 24 'to form chute engaging levers 25. Pivot pins 26 hold the catches in place between the legs and the back and stay pins 27 are passed through the legs and back to hold the dogs oi the device slightly separated and ,to act'as guides for the plug F of the cable Cu A spring member 28 is secured on the back 19 and the ends thereof are curved up around the ends of the pins 26 and then curved down and engaged with the inner sides of the levers to normally hold the levers extended outwardly from the body of the catch and to normally hold the dogs close together as they will. come. The dogs 23 are adepted to engage over the top end of the plug F when the cable C is drawn through the slot 16 intothe top end of the catch G.

The operation of our invention is as iollows:-

The one catch is engaged with the mail bag by' any suitable means and the other catch is engaged over the end of the chute 4 by passing the legs 1'? and 18 and the back, down over the top end 30 of the chute 4 and a mail bag secured thereto, with the bag resting on the platform 3 until carried therefrom with the catch by the cable C. The bag holding the mail is let down from the speeding plane and as the bag strikes the net it is directed into the chute 4. The chute 4 being conical allows the bag to be drawn thereinto until the levers of the catch G engage with the inner surface of the side walls of the chute.

This action moves the levers inwardly and asthe catches 21 and 22 are pivoted the dog s 23are drawn outwardly releasing the plug F. This plug F and the cable C are then drawn up through slot 16 with the plug inside the chute B and as they reach the top end the legs 17 and 18 guide the cable C into the slot 16 of the catch G on the end' of the chute and the plug F engages with the dogs 23 of the catches 21 and 22 and draw the catch G from the end of the chute at the same time lifting the mail bag from the platform 3 and carrying it with the catch. The pilot plane may then draw this bag up into the plane for sorting or may engage it with another similar chute at a sorting station on the ground. as desired.

Having thus described our invention we desire to secure by Letters Patent and claimz- 1.- In a mail transporting device the combina- -tion of a slotted chute having a substantially frusto-conical shape; a base on which said chute is rotatably mounted; a net carried on said base to direct articles into said chute; a platform at the top end of said chute to hold articles; a slottedcatch to engage over the top end of the chute with the slot of the chute and catch in alignment and to which catch the articles to be transported are secured; a cable to ,be extended from an aeroplane; a plug on the end of said cable; another catch similar to the first mentioned catch to engage with said, plug and be drawn into said chute said catches having pivoted levers to disengage said caltch from said plug when the levers engage the side walls of the chute to allow the plug to travel through the chute and engage with the first mentioned catch to carry the articles therein away with the aeroplane, leaving the last named catch and its load in the chute.

2. In a device of the class described the combination of a slotted chute having a substantially frusto-conical shape; a base on which said chute may be rotated; a net tapered} into the entrance opening of said chute; automatic releasing catches comprising a slotted casing pivoted levers carried in said slotted casing; a cable lug to be disengaged from one of said catches when the levers 

